AKF and US Veterans Affairs Announce Partnership

The American Kidney Fund (AKF) has announced a partnership with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The partnership is aimed at increasing awareness of kidney disease among US veterans and supporting veterans diagnosed with kidney disease.

As a group, veterans have higher rates of chronic kidney disease than the general population in the United States; kidney disease affects one in seven Americans but one in six veterans. More than 40,000 veterans in the VHA have end-stage kidney disease and rely on dialysis or kidney transplant for survival.

The partnership will enable AKF and VA to identify opportunities for improvement of kidney disease resources, programs, and support for veterans. The two organizations will also work together to provide educational materials and resources for veterans diagnosed with kidney disease and their families and caregivers.

In a recent press release, LaVarne Burton, president and CEO of AKF, said, “The American Kidney Fund shares the VA goal of supporting veterans with kidney disease by helping them live healthier lives through early identification and referral for appropriate treatment. Working together, we can leverage each other’s strengths to address the unique challenges veterans face in managing their kidney health.”